Netanyahu Disagrees with U.S. on Gaza’s Future Governance – Rejects Turkish and Qatari Troops

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated his opposition on Monday (19.01.2026) to the deployment of Turkish or Qatari troops in the Gaza Strip, also expressing disagreement with the United States over the future governance of the enclave. ‘There will be neither Turkish nor Qatari soldiers in Gaza,’ Netanyahu told parliament. He added that Israel disagrees with Washington regarding the individuals tasked with implementing U.S. President Donald Trump’s plan for the Palestinian territory. The White House announced late last week the formation of an executive committee operating under the ‘Peace Council,’ chaired by Trump himself. This advisory committee includes Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Qatari diplomat Ali al-Thawadi. Since Saturday, Netanyahu’s office has voiced opposition to the committee’s composition, stating the announcement was made without coordination with Israel and contradicts its policies. Netanyahu said he had instructed Israel’s foreign minister to communicate this concern directly with the U.S. Secretary of State. Israel has repeatedly opposed Turkey’s involvement in post-war Gaza, amid sharply deteriorating relations since the war triggered by Hamas’s unprecedented attack on Israeli soil on October 7, 2023. The U.S. has confirmed that the Gaza ceasefire agreement has entered its second phase, involving Hamas’s disarmament, a gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces currently controlling nearly half the enclave, and the deployment of an international stabilization force. So far, participating countries have not been specified; the force would aim to support Gaza’s security and train Palestinian police units.